Can faster Ram overclock a PC?

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HI all. First off I would like to say a big thanks to you all. I’ve been reading these forums for many years and have learnt a lot, but now I’m stuck and need some help.

About 3 months ago I upgraded a friends PC from 1GB to 1.5GB of ram. The computer is a Fujitsu running XP with a Sempron processor (unsure on the model) with 2x 512mb ram. I removed one of the 512mb sticks and replaced it with a 1bg. The 1bg stick does have a higher clock speed than the original and being different capacities they are no longer in dual channel mode. I know this is not the best way to upgrade ram but thought it would be ok, as the pc would default both sticks to the slowest speed. Also higher capacity ram would be more beneficial than running in dual channel.

Now here’s my problem, it won’t switch on. It’s just over a year old, so he’s taken it back to the shop for them to look at. They are saying that the ram has over clocked the pc which has caused the CPU and Motherboard to burnout. So to fix it, both parts will need to be replaced.

Does this sound right to you? Can putting faster ram in a PC, along with the one original stick of ram, Over clock it without changing any bios settings?
 
That's a complete lie.

It wouldn't have any effect. If there was a problem you should hear the beebs. The only way the cpu would burnout is if there's too much voltage to it.

Just out of interest, what were they charging for the replacements?
 
If that's actually what they said, then it's tripe. The ram downclocks as you expected.

He should respond with 'we both know it's not possible to overclock laptops', fight lies with more subtle lies. The cpu is probably soldered to the motherboard, and the motherboard may well have burnt out. However it's definitely not because the ram was too fast for it

^£135 sounds fairly cheap for a new laptop motherboard, is that including labour?
 
If you have added ram to the machine, you have probably voided any warranty the machine had, so your mate could be expected to be charged for anything they do to it.

Tell him to keep a tight hold of his wallet and try and find the problem yourself (change the PSU, hard drives, take the memory sticks out etc...)
 
depending on the mb and cpu that sounds pretty cheap.

If does go in to be fixed mark the components with a uv pen and ask for the originals back after. If they're truly broken they should have no problem with them going back to you.
 
NathanT said:
If you have added ram to the machine, you have probably voided any warranty the machine had, so your mate could be expected to be charged for anything they do to it.

Tell him to keep a tight hold of his wallet and try and find the problem yourself (change the PSU, hard drives, take the memory sticks out etc...)
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If it is a laptop (didn't see it was) then adding ram won't void warranty
 
In a word, no. In a few words, whomever that was wants to be sacked for giving the rest of us techies who earn a crust doing home support a bad name.

Running faster ram than required does no harm at all - and anyone who suggests otherwise simple doesn't have the first idea what on earth they are talking about.

Incidentally, JonJ, I've reread the OP a couple of times and can't see a reference to the machine being a laptop? Am I missing something? :S
 
It’s a PC and is at the shop so can’t get it back right now.

Thanks, its put my mind at rest that I’ve done nothing wrong, but still don’t like the way they are trying to rip my mate off. I Will have to speak to him.
 
The first thing i thought was that it’s probably PSU but before I could get my hands on it he had taken it to the shop. Asking for the parts back is a good idea.
 
It seems they might charge you a handling fee anyway if they're that bad even though they haven't done anything.

Get it back from them and let us know exactly the problem and full system specs.

We'll sort it out for you lol :)
 
dr4g0nf1y said:
It seems they might charge you a handling fee anyway if they're that bad even though they haven't done anything.

Get it back from them and let us know exactly the problem and full system specs.

We'll sort it out for you lol :)
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Nice one thanks, I will have a word with my mate.
 
Oh. I didn't realise people took desktop computers to repair shops, they're not so difficult to diagnose compared to laptops. Notebooks on the brain I suppose, my mistake

Don't get a new motherboard and processor from the shop for 135 unless they've told you exactly which ones they are and you can't get them much cheaper online. Don't suppose there's any hope its a custom pc? Dell etc do really terrible things to make repair difficult, ignoring the atx spec for one

Yeah, I knew it was fujitsu as well. Not on the ball at all today. I know nothing about them sadly, I hope they followed the normal specifications
 
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I would have had ago at repairing it myself if i had the chance. I’ve built my own pc’s before so have plenty of spare part to try. The manufacture is Fujitsu.
 
Take out the big stick and put the ram back the way it was. Then try each stick individually. Send back faulty stick under warranty if under a year old or back to shop depending how old it is. After that, check back here. :)

If it was your mate's motherboard that died, and that's an "if"...

If it's a fujitsu scaleop, then it might be a custom or proprietary asus motherboard, which you wont be able to buy new. Look for the model number on the mobo and then search for the same one on an auction site.
 
First thing to do is get the machine back from that shop ASAP. They are out-and-out lying to you - I'd trust them as far as I could throw them.
 
I can't see if you've tried this or not, but did you try putting the old RAM back in again before taking it to the shop?

If not try this, it could just be the stick is incompatible with the machine.

I remember buying my first pc bits for my first ever pc, built it all up, switched it on, and nothing :(

Turned out I needed CL2 RAM and I had CL3 :p
 
Ev0 said:
I can't see if you've tried this or not, but did you try putting the old RAM back in again before taking it to the shop?

If not try this, it could just be the stick is incompatible with the machine.

I remember buying my first pc bits for my first ever pc, built it all up, switched it on, and nothing :(

Turned out I needed CL2 RAM and I had CL3 :p
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It’s been working for around 3 months now with no blue screens or crashing, so ram was compatible.


I’ve spoken to my mate, but unfortunately he has given the go-ahead to get it repaired by the shop. Not my first choice but he’s not into computers, plus I live about 100 miles away from him so couldn’t just pop up there to have a look.

It’s a shame that we will never find out what was really wrong with it. Thanks anyway for all your quick replies.
 
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